1 John 1:6-7
“If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:6-7 NIV
Would those closest to you describe you as authentic or phony?Unfortunately, our culture blinds us to pretense. Too often, we claim to trust in Christ, but we live no differently than those who do not have faith in Him. We like the idea of Jesus, but we never fully surrender to Him, missing out on His vision for our lives.
Whether it is the texts we send, the posts we make, the emails we write, or the arguments we have, we often cause others to stumble in the darkness because we don’t flip the switch and reflect the light of Christ. We become blind guides, just like the Pharisees.
Notice how John addresses the claim of one who walks in darkness. Later in the passage, he states those who are walking in the light will become tempted and sin. This means John does not believe in the possibility of moral perfection on this side of eternity. This helps us understand what it means to walk in darkness. John isn't saying a person will never sin, but he's talking about their habits and practices.
This person has tried hard to turn off God's light. They no longer allow the Scriptures into their lives. Their Bibles collect dust and sermons, bible studies or devotionals are of no real use to them. They aren't concerned with what the Bible teaches, and have likely considered it a fallible book. Perhaps they've fallen into the error of view of Scripture, thinking the Bible's spiritual points and intentions are true, but not its science, sentences, or individual words.
Perhaps they believed inerrancy is not taught in Scripture, forgetting it is the logical result of the Bible's claim to be God's word combined with the knowledge God cannot err. Perhaps they've believed inerrancy to be a modern invention of conservative scholars, forgetting it has been the unanimous teaching of God's people, Israel, and then the church, not to mention Jesus Himself, for thousands of years. Or maybe they just think the Bible is not as exciting as Instagram. But for whatever reason, this person walks in darkness by turning off the light of the Word.
And they turn off their prayer life as well, for spending time in God's presence is painful when walking in darkness. And if it isn't painful, it's just lifeless, because the connection to God is broken. The light of God cannot penetrate such a sad state
There is, fortunately, a better way. John says, “ But if we walk in the light as He is the light.” But what does this walk in the light look like? As I already said, it does not mean moral perfection. It does not mean you'll never experience temptation. And it is not some unattainable life only a select few, real saints, ever achieve.
No, to walk in the light is a normal Christian life and experience. To walk in darkness is to try to turn off God and His light. To walk in the light is to want to live where God is, to have your whole life illuminated by Him.
But walking in the light is so refreshing. For one, notice how John says it, “ we have fellowship with one another.” Also walking in the light leads God to cleanse us. John says “it purifies us from all sin.”
Just as Jesus’ blood positionally washed us of all our sins, so does Jesus blood practically cleanse us from all sin. Progressively, as we walk in the light, Jesus works to purify our lives. You should have this hope. Since it damages our relationships with others, we should crave cleansing from sin.
Sin hurts fellowship and causes us to run away from each other, to other churches, or away from all churches, rather than give us a loving friendship together. Instead of living in darkness, hurting one another, we should believe a walk in the light will grow us, which helps fellowship.
Every day is a witness to the power of the blood of Jesus Christ in your life. When the sun peaks over the morning's horizon, it is emblematic of the beginning work of Christ in growing and shaping you. Later in the morning, when the day has its early glow, it sings of the way Jesus is progressively developing you for His glory. And when the heat begins to pick up in the late morning, it speaks of the significant progress Christ has wrought in your life. And when the sun is at its full strength, when the noon-day sun is beating down on you, it preaches of the ultimate work Christ's blood can produce in you, culminating in heaven when you are in glory.
Make an appointment with God. Ask Him to show you any part of your life where you are living in darkness and then walk in the Light!!!
Father, thank You for this day and we praise Your name for the blood of Jesus which has cleansed us of all our sins and identified us with His righteousness. Lord, let Your abundant blessings rain down on my friend and family today. Your grace gives us the choice to walk in Your marvellous light or live our Christian lives in the shadow of the world, the flesh, and the devil. We choose, from this day forward, to walk in the light as You are in the light, for we desire a more intimate fellowship with You. Lord, use us today to be Your light in the darkness today. Be a blessing.
Father, we love You. Amen !
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